[t_richerzhagen]

A copy of an email sent to Bob Meiser:
I was trying to find a Skagit head for the CND Skagit Specialist and found the WC 10-11-12 with tip two removed to be a little on the light side, especially compared to what Ed Ward is using (700 grains). So, just for fun, I tried it on the FES. It seems to work very nicely, though I have tried it only with the floating tip and anticipate that a sinking tip, while weighing the same, will place a little heavier load on the rod. In any case it seems like a good way to use this rod for winter fishing with tips. The WC 10-11-12 with tip two removed weighs 535 grains, according to RIO specs. The full 7-8-9 WC is 525 and their midspey is 560 grains, all very close.

I like the 7-8 long delta very much that you suggested for dry line
work and will use it a lot on the Deschutes and the Ronde this summer and fall.
I will let you know how the FES fishes with the Skagit style line and sinking tips, as I get a chance to try it over the next few weeks.

 

[t_richerzhagen]

Meiser's response

Good info Ted.....

My friend Todd Schraff has a Lodge on the Skeena, and jet accesses many of the Skeena Tribs. He helped develop the FES with me. We used the FES quite a bit this weekend, and he does a very similar set-up as you mentioned.... Although he really does a lot of splicing much as Ed Ward does.... I dare to say even more !!!

Another line that worked very nicely was the Mach-1 for 9/10, and tips....Either Airflow Polytips or with the Mach-1 cut back around 12/15 feet and building tips of various sink rates/lengths to meet conditions.....Accumulating grainage to around 525 to 550 seemed to be the
magic number.

He did also build up some amazing underhand head systems utilizing the AirFlow "Peach" 700 grain shooting head's running line....Cut it from the line and used it as the running line for shooting heads built from Rio 9/10/11 Accelerators.....Rockets !!!


Meiz